Promising Starting Lineup: Freeskiing Stronger Than Ever

Iouri Podladtchikov in snowboarding, Mat Rebeaud in FMX, Sandro Dias in skateboarding, and all the best athletes you could dream of seeing from the world of freeskiing. The starting lineup for Europe’s largest freestyle sports event guarantees peak athletic performances. And the great thing about this year: Since the event is concentrated on two days, all invited big names are sure to be at the start on Saturday.

While the top competitors in each discipline were spread out across the Friday and Saturday qualification rounds in previous years, this year’s new concentration on two days guarantees that all the best athletes will appear on Saturday. This will make Saturday’s competitions even more impressive and will give a hint of the spectacle awaiting visitors during Sunday’s finals. Particularly in the discipline of freeskiing, names like Jon Olsson (SWE), Simon Dumont (USA), Andreas Håtveit (NOR), TJ Schiller (CAN), Jacob Wester (SWE), Sammy Carlson (USA) and Elias Ambühl (SUI) ensure a one-of-a-kind competition. Never before have the organizers been able to fill the freeskiing starting list so quickly, and never before has the lineup been of such high caliber. «Personally, freestyle.ch is my favourite contest, and it’s very popular among other athletes, too. The lineup this year will force us to pull something completely new and unique. We will deliver a sick show – that much is certain!» confirms freestyle.ch champion in freeskiing from 2008, Jacob Wester.

Great Chances for X Games Champion Podladtchikov (iPod)
Zurich itself is furnishing one of the most promising contenders for the title of freestyle.ch’s oldest discipline, snowboarding: winner of X Games Europe, Iouri Podladtchikov. «Last year my hometown chose me as crossover.champ. This year I want to finally thank Zurich for it by winning the snowboarding competition!» says Podladtchikov of his participation. Podladtchikov and his confirmed teammate Christian Haller already proved to have the right form in August at the Burton New Zealand Open, where Podladtchikov won the halfpipe event and Haller won the slopestyle. At freestyle.ch, the two strong Swiss competitors will have to prove themselves against the likes of Olympic silver medalist and TTR overall champion Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) and Air&Style winner Marko Grilc (SLO).

Previous Year’s Champion Torres versus the Public’s Favorite Rebeaud
Things are sure to heat up during the FMX competition too. After taking a break following an injury at the beginning of the year, the exemplary Swiss FMXer Mat Rebeaud is currently fighting his way back to the top. He took second place at the Red Bull X-Fighters in Madrid, beating out last year’s freestyle.ch champion Dany Torres (ESP). So it’s likely to come down to a familiar battle of the countries at freestyle.ch. Whether or not Switzerland can take out Spain – as is often the case in tennis and sometimes in soccer – remains to be seen.

Dias or Ronchetti?
The starting list for skateboarding also boasts names of international rank. At the head of the pack is the public’s favourite Sandro Dias (BRA). In 2009, Dias was still suffering from an injury. The promising young whippersnapper Paul-Luc Ronchetti (GBR) took advantage of that and won surprisingly. But Dias, who recently placed 5th at the X Games, already proved that he is in top shape.
The Brazilian, who with two crossover.champ titles has long been in the favour of Zurich’s public, surely won’t give Ronchetti an easy ride and will try to recapture the victory in both, skateboarding and the crossover session, with his high signature airs.

Further information available at www.freestyle.ch and on Facebook at www.freestyle.ch/facebook

Program freestyle.ch 2010

Thursday, September 23
From 21:15 Swiss Snowboard Awards at Stall6/Gessnerallee

Friday, September 24
From 21:00 Riders Welcome Party including Delinquent Habits concert at Papiersaal (Sihlcity, Zurich)

Saturday, September 25
11:00 Doors open
13:00 Skateboard Qualification
14:00 Freeski Qualification
15:45 FMX Qualification
16:45 Concert freestyle.band
17:45 Snowboard Qualification
19:00 Movie premiere Volcom 9191 Snowboard Movie
20:00 Concert Cali P and the Soul Fire Band
21:00 PlayStation Gaming: Move
21:30 Crossover Session: snowboard, freeski, FMX, skateboard
23:00 End of program

Label World open until 23:00
Bars and restaurants open until 02:00
From 22:00 Afterburner Party at Härterei (Maag-Areal) on two floors

Sunday, September 26
11:00 Doors open
13:00 Skateboard Semi Final
13:30 PlayStation Gaming: Shaun White Skateboarding
14:00 Freeski Semi Final
15:00 FMX Semi Final
16:00 Snowboard Semi Final
17:00 Finals: snowboard, freeski, FMX, skateboard
18:00 Prize-giving freestyle.champs

Label World open until 19:00
Bars and restaurants open until 19:00

* Subject to change

For more info check our calendaritem!

Special | Telekom Extreme Playgrounds - Nick Davies vs. Fredy von Osten

Duel of the World Champions: Nick Davies vs. Fredy von Osten at the Telekom Extreme Playgrounds

- Telekom Extreme Playgrounds featuring the official stop of the Wake Park World Series 2010 at the Waterski-Arena Pinneberg
- Local hero and Junior World Champion Frederic von Osten (GER) challenges World Champion Nick Davies (UK)!
- Additionally: World’s best Wakeskate and BMX Miniramp riders!

Tickets are available at the box office and via www.telekom-playgrounds.de/tickets

On Sunday, August 29th, the third stop of the WWA Wake Park World Series 2010 is going to feature a real thriller: Right in the wake of the IWWF Wakeboard Worlds in Neubrandenburg, the freshly crowned World Champions in the Junior and Open Men categories – Frederic von Osten from Hamburg and Nick Davies from Great Britain – meet up for their direct duel at the Telekom Extreme Playgrounds! 17-year-old von Osten might still be Junior age, but that doesn’t stop him from entering the king category “Pro Men” in the WWA Wake Park World Series. And while Nick Davies will be one of his toughest opponents to beat, we must not forget about Tom Fooshee (USA), who has won the Telekom Playgrounds three times and certainly belongs to the top favourites as well. Get your tickets now!

One day before the top athletes battle it out for WPWS points and a $20.000 purse at the Telekom Playgrounds, up to 32 wakeboarders and 20 wakeskaters get the chance to qualify for the main event through Saturday’s qualifications. The top 8 wakeboarders and top 4 wakeskaters qualify for Sunday. Pre-qualified for the Wakeboard Cable competition on Sunday are the Telekom Local Support qualifier Felix Georgii, and Wildcard winner Miles Töller (both GER), as well as the top 4 of the WWA Wake Park World Series ranking after the upcoming tour stop on August 14th in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Next to Fooshee, Davies, and local hero von Osten, some clear candidates for a ticket to Sunday’s top 14 wakeboarders are vice World Champion Lior Sofer (ISR) and acting German Champion Dominik Gührs. On the wakeskating side of things, acting Junior World Champion Tarik Ghoniem (GER) meets German Champion and Wake The Line killer Jan Kissmann, the European Champion and vice World Champ Andy Kolb, the Austrian Champion Kevin Cobb and Telekom Playgrounds title holder Bret Little (USA).

High-level skills can be seen in the BMX Miniramp as well. The winners of the last years – Mark Webb, Ben Wallace, Harry Main (all UK) – are going to bring along another menace from the island: BMX Masters 2010 winner Alex Coleborn. Sergej Geier (BMXer of the Year 2009) and Berlin based Tobias Wicke have been confirmed as well.

It’s not all sports and serious: In between competitions, Swedish punkrockers Millencolin and ska punk legends Sublime with Rome are going to get the crowd to break some sweat as well. And when all the finals and award ceremonies are done, riders and fans alike can enjoy and party with headlining reggae star Gentleman! Ticket pre-sales for the Telekom Extreme Playgrounds in Hamburg have been up for a while, and there’s not that many tickets left! Tickets are available for 25 Euros (plus fee), or as 5-Friends-Ticket (admits 5 for the price of 4) for 100 Euros (plus fee). Check your local box office or http://www.telekom-playgrounds.de/tickets!

Confirmed Riders
Wakeboard Cable                         Wakeskate
Tom Fooshee (USA)                        Bret Little (USA)
Frederic von Osten (GER)                Jan Kissmann (GER)
Dominik Gührs (GER)                    Andy Kolb (GER)
Nick Davies (UK)                             Kevin Cobb (AUT)
Lior Sofer (ISR)                               Tarik Ghoniem (GER)
Steffen Vollert (GER)
Mike Ketellapper (NL)                       BMX Miniramp

James Young (UK)                           Mark Webb (UK)
Bernhard Hinterberger (GER)            Harry Main (UK)
Gary Stelfox (UK)                             Ben Wallace (UK)
Christian Koester (UK)                      Alessandro Barbero (IT)
Lewis Cornwall (UK)               Sergej Geier (GER)
Matthew "Matty" De Nittis (AUS)       Alex Coleborn (UK)
Rocco van Straten (NL)                    Tobias Wicke (GER)
Tom Richter (GER)                          Daniel “Naran” Penafiel (ESP)
Rene Konrad (GER)                         Ben Hennon (UK)
Nick Lewis (GER)                            Alexandre Bourguignon (FRA)
Marvin Kalter (GER)                        Michael Beran (CZ)
Niko Kasper (GER)                          Felix Kirch (GER)
Felix Georgii (GER)                         Ondra Slez (CZ)
Miles Töller (GER)                  Hannes Gutzeit (GER)

Telekom Extreme Playgrounds – Hamburg 2010
WWA Wake Park World Series & International BMX Miniramp Contest
August 29th, Hamburg, Waterski-Arena Pinneberg

Telekom Extreme Playgrounds – Berlin 2010
World Cup Skateboarding Event & International BMX Contest (Street/Vert)
Dezember 5th, Berlin, Velodrom   Good to know:

Telekom Extreme Playgrounds
More than 50.000 enthusiastic visitors since 2007 – sold-out events, great bands and action sports on a world-class level make the Telekom Extreme Playgrounds unique. At three stops per year fans in Duisburg, Hamburg and Berlin get to experience the world’s best BMX and MTB riders, skate-, and wakeboarders. Additionally, every event features three top live bands, making the event an unforgettable experience. Action sports with festival feeling, that’s the motto of the Telekom Extreme Playgrounds. www.telekom-playgrounds.de

WWA Wake Park World Series
The World Wakeboard Association (WWA) was founded by athletes with the aim to develop and support wakeboarding, wakeskating and wakesurfing world wide. It sets the competition standards and is one of the most important contacts for riders and event organizers. The WWA’s Wake Park World Series (WPWS) is the first World Cup series for wakeboarders. The Telekom Extreme Playgrounds have been part of the WPWS since day one, in 2010 they serve as the third of five WPWS stops (#1 USA, #2 NED, #4 TUR, #5 PHI). www.thewwa.com

Special | Red Bull X-Alps 2011: applications for world's toughest adventure race open

RED BULL X-ALPS 2011: APPLICATIONS FOR WORLD’S TOUGHEST ADVENTURE RACE OPEN

Applications for the world’s toughest adventure race are now open, and budding athletes have until September 30 to register their intent to participate.

The Red Bull X-Alps 2011 will be the fifth edition of the extremely popular event where athletes must hike or paraglide their way across the Alps from Salzburg in Austria to the Monaco on the Mediterranean coast.

Potential athletes must prove to a selection committee that they have outstanding paragliding skills, top-level endurance and extensive Alpine experience. Only 30 athletes will be chosen to participate in the 864km race, which begins in Salzburg on July 17, 2011.

A new route with eight turnpoints in five countries will test the limits of the athletes’ abilities.
The entire race will be broadcasted via the official website’s Live Tracking map, which tracks in real time every move by every athlete.

Applications must be made via the newly re-launched official website, www.redbullxalps.com.

Check out the Red Bull X-Alps on www.facebook.com/redbullxalps and www.twitter.com/redbullxalps

Photocredit:
Olivier Laugero/ Red Bull Photofiles

Special | FISE 2010 video's and results

FISE Montpellier is a wrap!

From may 12th till 16th Montpellier was host of the FISE 2010 contes. BMX, Slopestyle, FMX, Skate and Wake contests ruled these days. Take a look at the highlights clips and the results of this year's edition.